Lovick elected Speaker Pro Tem of the state House

Rep. John Lovick (D-Mill Creek) will hold the gavel as Speaker Pro Tem when the House of Representatives begin the 2019 session in January.

“It’s an honor to be elected by my colleagues to this role,” Lovick said. “I work hard to be fair to all lawmakers—Democrats and Republicans, from every corner of the state—while we are debating and voting on legislation.”

Lovick has served as speaker pro tem and deputy speaker pro tem in the past. This will be his second stint in the House of Representatives. He was first elected to the House in 1998 and left in 2007 to serve as Snohomish County Sheriff and Snohomish County Executive (2013-15).

The outgoing lawmaker was reelected to his fourth term in the state House in November when he collected 57 percent of the votes cast in the 44th Legislative District to hold off a challenge by former Snohomish County Councilmember Jeff Sax.

Lovick told The Beacon he hopes to use his position as Speaker Pro Tem to work with all 97 members of the state House.

“From my position, we hope to focus on big issues,” Lovick said. “Traffic, school safety, jobs, the environment and homelessness.”

He described the list of issues as important to his constituents in the 44th District as well as people across the state.

His career in public service began with 13 years in the Coast Guard, including patrols off the waters of Alaska, followed by 31 years as a state trooper. He was named Trooper of the Year in 1992.

Lovick was elected to the Mill Creek City Council in 1993, where he served a term as mayor pro tem. He has lived in Snohomish County for 38 years and is married to a retired teacher. Lovick still volunteers at the elementary school that his own children attended.

“Life is about serving others,” Lovick said. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve my fellow members of the House, and look forward to working together to make Washington state a better place to live, work and raise a family.”